


Summer Living, Summer Loving

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Spooks | MI-5
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 09:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11145936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Lucas North's summer begins with the aftermath of flu, but by the end of the season Adam Carter has brought about a significant improvement to his life.





	1. Sick All Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ's FFFC June Special: Mini Summer Bingo.

It was perhaps inevitable that Lucas, having managed to fight off the usual winter illnesses, should succumb to a late bout of flu in the middle of May.  Despite his protestations that he could cope and would be better off by himself, Adam had bundled him into the car and installed him in the bed in the spare bedroom, where Lucas had remained for the next four days.

Lucas got over the flu, but eight years in a Russian jail had taken much of his body’s resilience and he didn’t seem to be able to recover fully.  Adam privately thought Lucas went back to work too soon, but Harry Pearce didn’t appear concerned, so he kept his thought to himself.

Adam contented himself with insisting Lucas spend every weekend with him, and once the school term had finished, his son Wes.  It was a decent summer and Lucas spent a lot of time sitting in the garden.  Adam took Wes out most weekends, but despite both of them inviting Lucas to come too, he always declined.  Adam wasn’t surprised, Lucas’ lack of energy meant he seemed as happy sleeping in the garden as doing anything else.

Despite this, Lucas insisted on continuing to work as usual.  If anything, Adam thought, he was pushing himself even harder to compensate.  Then one day in the middle of August, they were forced to chase after a suspect on foot.  Lucas had kept up, but once the suspect had been apprehended he disappeared and Adam found him sitting with his back to a tree, coughing and spluttering.

“I’m okay,” Lucas said.

Adam raised an eyebrow.  He too had been breathing heavily by the end of the chase, but Lucas was far worse.  There was no point in arguing with him, but Adam decided it was time to take action.

Adam’s first thought had been to speak to Harry, but by the time they had got back to the Grid, Harry had been in conference with various other section heads.  So instead Adam spoke to Ros and explained his plan.  Ros nodded and said she’d sort things for them.

“Don’t mention it to Lucas,” Adam warned.

“Oh no, it’ll be better this way,” Ros said.  “You do realise it’s as much a psychological problem as a physical one, don’t you?”

“Yes.  He won’t take time off because it will give him time to think.  But if he doesn’t get the rest his body needs he won’t recover properly.”

“Precisely.”

They turned as Harry called them together for a meeting.  Once again Adam wondered why, if others could see there was a problem, they weren’t prepared to do anything about it.


	2. A Road Trip

As had become their custom, on the Friday evening Adam and Lucas left the Grid together, Lucas carrying a bag which contained his clothes for the weekend.  They got in Adam’s car, and whilst Adam negotiated his way through the rush hour traffic, Lucas shut his eyes and listened to a CD.

Suddenly, Lucas opened his eyes and looked around him.  “This isn’t the way to your house,” he said.

“Nope,” Adam agreed.  “We’re taking the road to the West Country.”

“What?”  Lucas started to turn his head from side to side, apparently trying to make sense of the information.  Adam wondered for a second whether he’d try to get out of the car.

“We’re having a few days’ holiday,” Adam said.  “Ros has seen to the leave.  And Wes, as you know, has gone away with a friend for a week.”

“But what about my clothes?  And my …”

“I’ve packed the spare clothes you keep at my house, and you can always buy some more.  I presume you were going to say ‘books’, but don’t worry, I’ve also packed some of the library you seem to be installing in the spare bedroom.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

“Not to mention this gives you the perfect opportunity to visit the bookshop in Salisbury tomorrow morning, before we continue our journey.”

Lucas laughed, then said, “So we’re not going all the way tonight?”

“No we’re taking our time.  Think of it as a mini road trip.”

“Where else are we staying?”

“That would be telling.  There is one other thing – I’ve booked us a double room.  I hope you don’t mind.”

Lucas had been watching the scenery as they drove, and suddenly changed his position.  His shoulders slumped and once more Adam hoped they hadn’t encountered a major obstacle. 

When Lucas didn’t reply, Adam said, “I can try and book a second room, it’ll depend how busy the hotels are.”

“It’s all right.  It’s just I can be a restless sleeper and I don’t want to disturb you.”

“Do you think I wasn’t aware of that?  I’ve heard you cry out in the night.  I also know you occasionally sleep on the floor, rather than in the bed.  It won’t bother me.”

“In which case,” Lucas gave a shy smile.  “I’d be happy to share a room.”

“Excellent.  Now, let’s see if I can get in the right lane.  Last time I came this way I missed my exit and drove for miles trying to get back on the right road.”

***

They spent Saturday morning in Salisbury, before heading to Exeter in the early afternoon.  Then they left Exeter after a light Sunday lunch to go to Bodmin via Torquay.  The light lunch was because they were planning on having a cream tea in Torquay, and Adam declared they needed to do it justice.  Finally they made the short journey from Bodmin to a small hotel just outside Truro on the Monday afternoon.

By the time they reached the hotel Adam saw Lucas looked much more relaxed than he had done for weeks.  They had taken their bags to their room and were admiring the view from the window.

“This is nice,” Lucas said, sitting on the bed.  “Where do we go next?”

“We don’t.  This is journey’s end.  We’re staying here till Friday and we can do as much or as little as we want.  The restaurant is excellent and there are plenty of good walks around, so we don’t need to go any further afield.  Or we can go to the coast and get our fill of sea air.  Whatever we feel like.”

“It all sounds perfect.  Now, why don’t you join me on this bed, and we’ll see how comfortable it is.”


	3. The Last Days of Summer

When they woke the following morning, Adam said, “What do you want to do today?”

Lucas snuggled closer to him and muttered, “Stay in bed with you.”

“Tempting though that may be, it would be a shame to waste our time here.  It’s almost autumn, and we can have plenty of lazy mornings then.”

“You mean you’d like me to stay around?”

“Of course I would.”  Adam hugged Lucas and was startled when the other man wriggled out of his arms and leapt out of bed.

“In which case, what are you waiting for?  We have a beach to go to and sunshine to enjoy.”

“Idiot!”  Adam threw a pillow at him.

***

They were sitting side by side on the beach, eating ice creams and looking out to sea, when Adam said, “How would you feel about moving in with me?”

He was prepared for Lucas not to respond particularly positively, but nonetheless was saddened when he felt him tense.  Then, when Lucas didn’t reply immediately, Adam began to think he’d ruined the holiday.

Finally Lucas said, “I don’t know.  Can I think about it?  It probably sounds pathetic, but I still find it hard to make decisions.  I always have the thought at the back of my mind of what will happen if I do the wrong thing.”

“That’s not pathetic at all.  Take your time about it.”  Adam knew Lucas was being perfectly reasonable, but still found it hard to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

He was so busy telling himself not to be unrealistic he almost missed Lucas’ quiet, “And what about Wes?”

“What?  He’ll be back at school in a few weeks.  And he’s enjoyed having you around at the weekends during his summer holiday.”

“Really?  I can’t think why.”

“Apparently you know lots of things.  You’re better than me at chess.  And you can explain things better than I do.”

Lucas laughed.  “So you don’t think he’ll mind me moving in?  I don’t want to upset him.”

“He won’t.  And no doubt you’ll do some of the chores he’s supposed to do!”

***

That evening Lucas made no mention of moving in, and Adam feared it would affect the holiday, and thought of suggesting Lucas might want some time to himself, but instead Lucas suggested they spend the next day walking the cliff path.

When Lucas still said nothing the following evening, Adam decided he must want to wait until they had returned to London before making his decision.  He was therefore taken by surprise when, on their final afternoon, as they were walking along a beach eating yet another ice cream, Lucas suddenly said, “If the offer’s still open, I would like to move in with you.”

Adam’s first thought was to throw his arms around Lucas, but then realised this was not practical.

Lucas clearly followed what he was thinking, because he said, “I’m enjoying this ice cream too much to have you squash it all over my t-shirt, even if you’re not bothered about yours.”

Adam chuckled and when they had both finished eating hugged Lucas close.  For the next few minutes neither of them was aware of what was happening around them, until they noticed there was no-one else on the beach.  Suddenly, they felt the first spots of rain, and looking up they saw large black clouds overhead.  Laughing, they held hands as they ran back to the car, sliding into their seats just before the heavens opened.

“Well, at least we’re going home tomorrow,” Adam said.  “I think we’ve seen the last of the summer weather.”

“That’s all right,” Lucas replied.  “That means it’s nearly autumn and the lazy mornings in bed you promised me.”


End file.
